Ned Beatty Biography

Fast Facts

• Attended the 2003 YouthAIDS Annual Benefit Gala to help support prevention of the spread of the disease
• Received the "Master of Cinema" Award in 2006 at the RiverRun International Film Festival
• Received a scholarship to sing in an a capella choir at Transylvania University
• Made his Broadway debut in "The Great White Hope" in 1968
• Worked as a theatre actor at various companies across the country for over ten years before making his film debut in "Deliverance․"
• Got his start in entertainment at a young age by singing in gospel and barbershop quartets in his local neighborhood
• Quote: "It's interesting to have people from film and television who can bring people into theater․․․In theater you want to go from here to there, you want it to be about something․ Stage actors learn how to do that․ Film actors often don't even think about it․ They do what the director wants them to do, and they never inform their performance with - call it what you wish - through-line, objective․ I think we've got those actors out there, and I think Broadway could be richer if it exploited that․"
• Frequently portrays villainous characters who display eccentric qualities
• In 2012, he attended a screening of "Deliverance" alongside co-stars Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Jon Voight for the 40th anniversary of the film
• Is not related to Warren Beatty despite their similar surnames, but he would often joke that Warren was his illegitimate uncle
• Originally planned on entering the life of a clergyman, but opted to pursue acting after appearing in a play in high school
• Released his debut album "In the Beginning was the Word" in 2006